The English Premier League yet again underlined its standing in world football following a dramatic finale to the season that kept the fans on the edge of their seats with the Manchester duel between City and United reaching a peak on Sunday.
On the very last day of the campaign, the championship ap-peared heading Manchester United’s way again as Alex Ferguson’s men were beating Sunderland 1-0 away while City were 1-2 down at home to QPR with only stoppage time to play.
After taking a first-half lead, City had surprisingly conceded twice in the opening stages of the second half against QPR, who had volatile midfielder Joey Barton dismissed. A draw wouldn’t have been enough for City and their 44-year wait for the title was set to be prolonged.
However, the Citizens were not to be denied as they grabbed the laurels at the finish, scoring twice in added time to claim their first ever Premier League title on goal difference from rivals United.
Italian Roberto Mancini thus joined an impressive list of non-English coaches to collect a Premier League championship medal.
Critics pointed at City’s 6-1 rout of United at Old Trafford in October as the match that tilted the balance the Blues’ way at the end of the season.
The champions’ 2011-12 diary
08-07: Community Shield
Wembley vs Man. Utd - 2-3
Lescott, Dzeko
08-15: Home vs Swansea - 4-0
Dzeko, Aguero 2, Silva
08-21: Away vs Bolton - 3-2
Silva, Barry, Dzeko
08-28: Away vs Tottenham - 5-1
Dzeko 4, Aguero
09-11: Home vs Wigan - 3-0
Aguero 3
09-14: Champions League group
Home vs Napoli - 1-1
Kolarov
09-18: Away vs Fulham - 2-2
Aguero 2
09-21: League Cup 3rd round
Home vs Birmingham - 2-0
Hargreaves, Balotelli
09-24: Home vs Everton - 2-0
Balotelli, Milner
09-27: Champions League group
Away vs Bayern Munich - 0-2
10-02: Away vs Blackburn - 4-0
Johnson, Balotelli, Nasri, Savic
10-15: Home vs Aston Villa - 4-1
Balotelli, Johnson, Kompany, Milner
10-19: Champions League group
Home vs Villarreal - 2-1
Machera og, Aguero
10-23: Away vs Man. United - 6-1
Bolotelli 2, Aguero, Dzeko 2, Silva
10-29: Home vs Wolves - 3-1
Dzeko, Kolarov, Johnson
11-02: Champions League group
Away vs Villarreal - 3-0
Y. Toure 2, Balotelli pen
11-06: Away vs QPR - 3-2
Dzeko, Silva, Y. Toure
11-19: Home vs Newcastle - 3-1
Balotelli pen, Richards, Aguero
11-22: Champions League group
Away vs Napoli - 1-2
Balotelli
11-27: Away vs Liverpool - 1-1
Kompany
11-29: League Cup quarter-final
Away vs Arsenal - 1-0
Aguero
12-03: Home vs Norwich - 5-1
Aguero, Nasri, Y. Toure, Balotelli, Johnson
12-07: Champions League group
Home vs Bayern Munich - 2-0
Silva, Y. Toure
12-12: Away vs Chelsea - 1-2
Balotelli
12-18: Home vs Arsenal - 1-0
Silva
12-21: Home vs Stoke - 3-0
Aguero 2, Johnson
12-26: Away vs West Brom - 0-0
01-01: Away vs Sunderland - 0-1
01-03: Home vs Liverpool - 3-0
Aguero, Y. Toure, Milner pen
01-08: FA Cup 3rd round
Home vs Man. United - 2-3
Kolarov, Aguero
01-11: League Cup semi-final 1st leg
Home vs Liverpool - 0-1
01-16: Away vs Wigan - 1-0
Dzeko
01-22: Home vs Tottenham - 3-2
Lescott, Balotelli pen, Nasri
01-25: League Cup semi-final 2nd leg
Away vs Liverpool - 2-2
De Jong, Dzeko
01-31: Away vs Everton - 0-1
02-04: Home vs Fulham - 3-0
Aguero pen, Baird og, Dzeko
02-12: Away vs Aston Villa - 1-0
Lescott
02-16: Europa League 2nd round
Away vs Porto - 2-1
Pareira og, Aguero
02-22: Europa League 2nd round
Home vs Porto - 4-0
Aguero, Dzeko, Silva, Pizarro
02-25: Home vs Blackburn - 3-0
Balotelli, Aguero, Dzeko
03-03: Home vs Bolton - 2-0
Svesson og, Balotelli
03-08: Europa League 3rd round 1st leg
Away vs Sporting Lisbon - 0-1
03-11: Away vs Swansea - 0-1
03-15: Europa League 3rd round 2nd leg
Home vs Sporting Lisbon - 3-2
Aguero 2, Balotelli
03-21: Home vs Chelsea - 2-1
Aguero pen, Nasri
03-24: Away vs Stoke - 1-1
Y. Toure
04-01: Home vs Sunderland - 3-3
Balotelli 2, Kolarov
04-08: Away vs Arsenal - 0-1
04-11: Home vs West Brom - 4-0
Tevez, Aguero 2, Silva
04-14: Away vs Norwich - 6-1
Tevez 3, Aguero 2, Johnston
04-22: Away vs Wolves - 2-0
Aguero, Nasri
04-30: Home vs Man. United - 1-0
Kompany
05-06: Away vs Newcastle - 2-0
Y. Toure 2
05-13: Home vs QPR - 3-2
Zabaleta, Dzeko, Aguero